August 9, 2007
How to Write a Business Letter
A business letter is a formal written communication. The purpose of the business letter is to build rapport, share information, and generate action. In addition, they often serve as legal recorded document of conversations and agreements between the sender and recipient.
Anatomy of a Business Letter
Business letters are comprised of the following parts:
1. Heading: The heading includes a formal letterhead or return address and the date line.
The letterhead or return address should include the full legal name of the organization or writer and the full legal address.
The date line usually appears bellow the letterhead or return address. The standard date format used is month, day, and year: January 23, 2007.
2. Opening: The opening includes the inside address and salutation.
The inside address is the recipient’s name, if known, and address. If appropriate use the recipient’s title as well (e.g. Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss., or Dr.).
The salutation uses one of the following formats:
Formal
Dear Title Lastname:
Dear Firstname Lastname:
Informal
Dear Title Lastname;
Dear Firstname Lastname;
Dear Firstname;
If the recipients name is unknown, then use a variation of the following formats:
Dear Sir or Madam:
Dear Madam or Sir:
Dear Customer:
Dear Colleagues:
Dear Friends:
Dear Associates:
Dear Members:
Dear Landowners:
Dear Neighbor:
3. Body: The body presents the message of the letter.
The body begins below the salutation, and is single spaced with double spacing used between paragraphs.
The first paragraph should clearly state the purpose of the letter. Subsequent paragraphs should provide details to support the purpose, outline actions that need to be taken, and end with information on how to contact you.
4. Closing: The letter ends with a complementary closing, the writer’s signature, writer’s name and title, and special notations such as enclosures, copies and postscript.
Closings express the tone and feelings you have towards the recipient. Commonly used closings are:
Formal
Thank you
Sincerely
Sincerely yours
Yours sincerely
Respectfully yours
Respectfully
Informal/Friendly
Best wishes
Regards
Best regards
Kindest regards
Special notations provide the reader information of note related to the letter. Special notations are listed after the closing. The following are commonly used notations:
Enclosure: Indicates that one or more related items were sent with the letter. The format is: Enclosure
cc: Indicates that courtesy copies of the letter were sent to other individuals. The names of each individual are listed with the notation. The format is: cc: A. Roman
Postscript: Indicates items or reminders needing additional emphasis. The format is: PS The deadline for renewals is March 30, 2007!
Six Tips For Writing Effective Letters
1. Always err on the side of formality in tone.
2. Begin letters with most important ideas by providing the who, what, when, where and how in opening statement.
3. Note documents, conversations, and meetings relevant to the subject.
4. Keep paragraphs short. Use an average of six lines max with one idea per paragraph.
5. Keep sentences short. Use an average of 16 words per sentence. Vary sentence lengths and patterns. Avoid compound sentences, especially ones connected with semicolons.
6. Focus on the reader in order to address any concerns, questions, or objections.
Ten Common Mistakes To Avoid
Take time to review your letter for the following mistakes:
1. Wrong or misspelled name
2. Wrong or misspelled title
3. Wrong or misspelled company
4. Wrong or misspelled address
5. Wrong gender for salutation
6. Misplaced decimal.
7. One-letter typo: “form” for “from.”
8. More than one error in a word and in a sentence.
9. End-of-sentence punctuation.
10. Missing or incorrect use of the comma.
Bibliography :
• Writing Guides: Writing Business Letters http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/bletter/index.cfm
• The Basic Business Letter http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_basicbusletter.html
• Freeman, Lawrence H. and Terry R. Bacon. Shipley Associates Style Guide: Revised Edition. Bountiful, Utah: Shipley Associates, 1992. 11-126.